A late goal has denied the All Whites after a valiant performance in Tokyo, falling 2-1 to Japan in the Kirin Cup final.

In front of more than 60,000 vocal Samurai Blue supporters at Tokyo's National Stadium, New Zealand produced a resilient display against the world No. 17 side.

The All Whites battled and repelled wave after wave of Japanese attacks for more than 70 minutes, with goalkeeper Alex Paulsen producing a standout performance that included nine saves.

The Motherwell shot-stopper could do little to prevent the decisive goal, however, when substitute Keito Nakamura burst into the penalty area and found captain Ritsu Doan unmarked at the far post to tap home what proved to be the winner.

While the goal rewarded Japan's dominance, including 78 per cent possession and 11 shots on target, the All Whites remained firmly in the contest through disciplined defending and quick transitional play, led by skipper Chris Wood.

Despite New Zealand's dogged defensive display, Japan did find vulnerabilities. The stadium erupted in the 28th minute when Ayase Ueda gave the hosts the lead, slamming home from close range after the All Whites were unable to clear a loose ball in the penalty area.

However, the National Stadium fell silent just four minutes later.

After threatening on the counterattack earlier in the match, the All Whites sprung into life as Wood drove forward during a New Zealand break while waiting for support to arrive in Japan's penalty area. Ben Old timed his run perfectly to latch onto his captain's through ball before curling a composed finish past outstretched Aston Villa goalkeeper Zion Suzuki to level the scores at 1-1.

Japan resumed control after the break, pouring forward through intricate passing combinations and an intense press whenever possession was lost.

The hosts came agonisingly close to restoring their lead shortly after halftime when Ueda rose highest at the back post, only to see his header crash against the crossbar.

When it wasn't the woodwork denying Japan, it was Paulsen. The goalkeeper's finest save arguably came in the 66th minute, producing a superb reactionary stop to tip a fierce Ao Tanaka strike over the bar.

Ultimately, Japan's persistence paid off in the 71st minute as their captain Doan finished from close range to seal both the match and the Kirin Cup trophy.

The All Whites threw men forward in search of a late equaliser, looking to orchestrate one final smash-and-grab opportunity, they were unable to find a way through and had to settle for second place, ahead of Panama, who earlier defeated Ecuador 7-6 on penalties after a 1-1 draw.

The defeat ends a three-match unbeaten run during this international window, following a 2-2 draw with Palestine, a 3-0 win over China and a penalty shootout victory over Panama after a 1-1 draw.

Following the September/October FIFA international window, the All Whites will return home to Aotearoa in November for a two-match series against India, beginning at Go Media Stadium in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland on 12 November before travelling to One New Zealand Stadium in Ōtautahi Christchurch on 15 November.

Tickets for the homecoming matches, starting from $10 for children and $20 for adults (plus ticketing fees), are available through Ticketek.

All Whites 1 (Ben Old 31’)

Japan 2 (Ayase Ueda 28’, Ritsu Doan 71’)

Article added: Tuesday 06 October 2026